PART 1: INSTAGRAM ACTIVISM
This past June, an Instagram account with the handle of @blackmainlinespeaks was brought into the virtual world. On their first post, the account administrators wrote, “The Main Line. Best known for its expensive stores, exotic cars, exclusive schools, and racism. Welcome to Black Main Line Speaks.” They gave credit to Black at Brearley, an all-girls private school located in Manhattan who started their own account to give a voice to silenced students and to advocate for change within their community. Following this premise, @blackmainlinespeaks began to share anonymous stories from schools all around the Main Line. Now, with over 25,000 followers, they’ve successfully created a space and an audience to uplift and recognize the Black community.
Soon after this account was created, another similar account was formed with a focus on cases of sexual harassment and assault in Montgomery County and Main Line schools. The account, @metoomontco, talks about how schools must stop sweeping cases “under the rug,” and rather, take progressive action. In an interview with the account, the creators explained that if they could tell school administrators one thing, it would be to “protect your students before protecting your reputation, [and] make your school a safe place for students to feel comfortable opening up… let them know they won’t get blamed for something that isn’t their fault.”
Inspired by these accounts, as well as @lgbtdelco, @lgbtqonthemainline has become a similar space for students. It aims to give a platform to LGBTQ+ students “whose voices have been silenced or ignored for decades, while remaining anonymous to allow for security… without feeling anxious or fearful about how others many react to it.” When asked about their reaction to the support they’ve gotten, the account creators revealed that it’s been “bittersweet, for lack of better wording.” To elaborate, they stated that it’s “unfathomably tragic that so many students have faced hate for their identities,” and that they’re aware that many students haven’t spoken up. But, they hope they will be able to read the posts on their page and know that they have a community that “stands with them and will support and advocate for them.” To further support the large number of students that are being silenced, they want school administrators to know that “students shouldn’t need anonymous accounts like these to feel that their schools care about them.”
PART 2: THE FOLOW-UP
In response to the posts on these accounts, Mr. Schellhas has sent out two emails on behalf of the school administration. The first one mainly acknowledged the concern of racism and oppression in the GA community and provided a plan of action that the school intends to take. Consulted in this plan is Director of Equity and Inclusion, Mrs. Walker-Johnson. When asked for her reaction to @blackmainlinespeaks, she says that although all of this seemed inevitable, she was sad and frustrated because she related to these stories when attending Emory University in the 90s. She also remarks that, “Unfortunately, [she has] had many conversations with Black students and their families about their experiences with racism in private schools throughout the 19 years that [she has] worked in education. Private schools were not originally created with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students in mind, and while private schools have made progress, these predominantly White spaces still fail to consistently provide a sense of welcoming and belonging for BIPOC students.” Mrs. Walker-Johnson also acknowledges that “we cannot face what remains hidden,” and that “change begins with the self. When we each carve out time for self-reflection, what might we uncover about the variety of identities that we carry at any one time?” she asked. In the end, though, she encourages all students that feel they’ve been oppressed to continue using their voices: “Student voices are so powerful, as evidenced by the Instagram pages. However, it should not take Instagram pages to remind us as adults to learn from students as integral partners along the way in making progress toward becoming the inclusive school community that we desire to be.”
In the second email sent out to the school, Mr. Schellhas declared that all claims of sexual harassment and assault are being taken seriously. The school administration wants “our entire school community to be safe, and feel safe, at all times,” and they are “committed to ensuring that happens.” Although the school seems to be dealing with this, some students and alumni are taking it one step further. Shayne Cerebe started an action team that goes by the Instagram handle @team_change_ga, where she’s chosen to work alongside GA to “foster a safe space for all students.” On this account, Shayne shares updates on progress being made in meetings, as well as topics of discussion. A few of them involve BIPOC and LGBTQ+ education, sex education, mental health awareness and resources, and sports team harrassment and hazing. Along with this action plan, Sydney Hill ‘21, Faith Davis ‘21, and Milo Debartlo ‘21 are in the process of creating a club called Safebae GA, inspired by a student-led and survivor-driven national organization (@safe_bae) aimed toward sexual assault prevention and education. Focusing on creating a judgement-free, safe space for students. Sydney says that they were “inspired to not only tackle the issues of sexual harassment and assault in our community, but to work on fixing the culture that allows this behavior to occur.” One thing Sydney would like club members to take out of the experience is to realize that “this behavior starts with the things we say and do, how we act. The toxic culture at GA allows and accepts sexual assault, and the administration doing little to nothing about these issues makes victims feel invalidated, but also makes assaulters feel like their behavior and actions is okay. This club, along with other things, is going to work on fixing the culture that lets students think they can get away with sexual assault. To do so, we need the administration to work on that as well. We need the administration to hold themselves and students accountable for their actions in order for our goals to be met.”
There has yet to be an email sent out addressing the concerns of oppression towards LGBTQ+ students in the GA community. Rebecca Lee ‘21, leader of the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA club), says that “there’s a huge deficiency of LGBTQ information in our curriculum. I think this is especially worrying when it comes to our Health and Wellness classes. From my experience and others I have spoken to, the inclusion of LGBTQ info was only limited to the definitions of homosexuals and bisexuals, totally ignoring the asexuality spectrum and intersex and transgender people. Health and Wellness for many in our community is where they can learn about LGBTQ people in a structured setting, so it is very important to provide students with this information. I think in terms of physical health, the lack of information pertaining to gay and lesbian sex is a health hazard and could later endanger LGBTQ members of our community.” Along with this, she adds that History classes should be educating students as well, taking into consideration that “making LGBTQ stories and information mandatory in our classrooms is key to creating a more tolerant and educated community.” In the end, though, she reminds anyone who identifies as heterosexual or cisgender that “not having a flawless understanding of LGBTQ issues and identities is okay. No one expects that from you. What we do expect is a basic respect for us as people, and for cisgender heterosexual people to have the drive to educate themselves and engage with LGBTQ issues in a respectful manner.”
PART 3: The Finale
In an effort to start conversations and increase education, Class President Sarah Rojas ‘21, says she “gained a lot of insight into changes that could be made after attending the cross-racial student forum led by BSA [Black Student Alliance] leaders. One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation was the simple fact that we had the conversation in the first place. It was one of the first times where students from almost every racial/ethnic affinity group got together and had a conversation about our cultures, and I really appreciated the opportunity to learn from BSA leaders and ultimately learn how to become a better ally.” Rojas has also started two committees in SGA this coming year, one dedicated to mental health, and the other committed to equity and inclusion.
Although there has not been a formal statement to the community regarding the oppression towards the LGBTQ+ community, action is being taken in light of sexual harassment allegations. Students have been told to report any incidents regarding the matter, the school has brought in Melanie Rychok, an external third-party professional who has a specialty in trauma. Per Mr. Schellhas’ email to the school, not only will Ms. Rychok be a resource for community conversations, but she will also be looking for different “trends or cultural issues that may contribute to an unhealthy environment.”
In terms of advocating for different social movements, no concern has been prioritized as most critical. There should be no comparisons as to what’s most important, because every issue has an impact on someone. Rather than picking and choosing, we should begin with discussions, inside and outside of the classroom. We must be open to the idea of uncomfortable conversations and giving others the opportunity to speak their mind without judgement. As a student body, a school, and a community, it is vital that we all come together to make each other feel comfortable and respected.
Really looking forward to part 3!